Category Archives: Military Monday

I know that I just talked about Hubert Aaron last week, but when information falls into your lap, you gotta go with it. I went to the Miller County History Museum in Fouke, Arkansas this past weekend and met with my favorite museum curator, Frank McFerrin. He offers many books for sale that help to keep the museum open. I bought one about Miller County Veteran’s and right there on the very first page, staring back at me was Hubert Aaron! Now I have a good close up picture of him as a young man instead of a child. I might also add that he’s one good-looking fellow so I know he’s related to us, right?? Here’s what the book had to say about Hubert.

If you happen to have a Veteran in your family from the Miller County area let me know, I will tell you if they are in the book. If they are, you can do us all a favor and head on down to the Fouke Museum and buy a book to help Frank keep it running.

Hubert Aaron is my 1st cousin 2x removed. Since I met with Morris Aaron and learned about Hubert, I often think of him. Hubert died on Dec 7, 1941. He was 22 years old and he gave his life on the U.S.S. Arizona in Pearl Harbor.

I was cruising around the website Storycorps.com today and came across this snippet of an interview that made me think of Hubert instantly. You can listen to it here:
Frank Curre survived WWII, and in this interview he talks about the bombing of the U.S.S. Arizona. I can’t imagine what those men went through. I’m consoled by the fact that Morris told me that Hubert was in the boiler room when the bomb hit, and that he would have died instantly. I’m relieved to know Hubert would not have suffered in the water as many other’s did.

Morris told me that Jenny Aaron, Hubert’s mother would not rest until she had something to memorialize Hubert with. She had no closure since his body was never recovered so she insisted on putting up a headstone for him in Sylverino Cemetery, and he shares it with his brother Ruvelle, whom everyone called “Man”.

Hubert made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I hope he knows that his family is proud, and that we will never forget him.

My dad Robert Allen Cowan, Sr. or “Sonny” as he was called, joined the Army on December 8, 1941 right after Pearl Harbor…..was sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana for basic training….then was selected for Officers Candidate School (OCS) and I am not sure where that was, possibly Waco.

He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1942.

He was shipped to the Pacific late in 1942 or early 1943 and did ‘island hopping’ following Marines who went in and secured islands and then the Army would come in and ‘mop up’ according to him. He was wounded in late 1943 and was finally sent ‘stateside’ to a VA hospital. I believe it was in San Francisco.

My mom took a train to visit him and in March/April of 1944 became pregnant with me. My dad was released from the hospital and was shipped to the “European Theater” and was part of the 36th Division. Audie Murphy, WWII’s most decorated soldier and Congressional Medal of Honor winner and later movie star, was my dad’s friend, which plays a major role later in his life.

My dad was now a Captain and was with the 36th Division, I believe 142nd Infantry, but, I am not exact on that….I am fairly sure he was in General Butler’s division and was in Italy,
and France.

He received the bronze star, the Croix de Guerre and French Legion of Merit, the Purple Heart, participation ribbon’s for the Pacific and European theaters of war, the fleurs de guerre and was discharged in late 1945 as a Major.

He came back to Texarkana and could not find work. A call to Audie Murphy in Los Angeles prompted him and my mom to move and I was one year old.

We moved to Venice, California and Audie got my dad a job as a stuntman for Culver City Studios, where he did work on a few Clark Gable films (most notable was “Band of
Angels”) and he doubled for Gene Autry in at least 5 films.

My mom left him when I was 3 and we moved back to Texarkana, where they
subsequently divorced.

My dad stayed in the Army Reserve, was an instructor in 3rd Army at Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Benning, Georgia, and Fort Eustis, Virginia.

He retained his Captaincy and died at the age of 48 from alcoholism and was buried with full military honors in Rose Hill Cemetery in Texarkana, Texas with the rank of Captain.

Find a relative you are looking for? Contact me through the contact form on the left of the screen, and I will direct you to my Ancestry.com tree which has more information, such as photo's, documents, etc.

about.me

My name is Susie.

I'm a city slicking country girl raising boys and chickens. I confuse the dead and irritate the living by digging up our families past and telling their stories.